Cross chain for automobile tire chains



1N V EN TOR.

Feb. 4, 1947. '-r'. B. ALLARDlcE GROSS CHAIN FOR AUTOMOBILE T IRE CHAINS Filed March 26., 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 QN HJ run Feb. 4, 1947. T. B. ALLARDICE 2,415,270

A CROSS CHAIN FOR AUTOMOBILE TIRE CHAINS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26. 1945 INVENTOR. i THOA//AsA/ LARD/cs A TTORNEX Patented4 Feb. 4, 10.947

UNITED CROSS CHAIN FOR AUTOMOBILE TIRE CHAINS i Thomas B. Allardice, Mountain Lakes, N. J. Application March 26, 1945, `Serial No. 584,874

It is an object of this invention to provide a cross chainV which will present both a metal and a rubber tread surface, Vthe rubber tread surface not only making for quieter running but materially prolonging the life of a cross chain.

Another object of the invention isto provide simple and readily manufactured elements for constructing the novel cross chain.

AvStill another object of the invention is to provide elements which may readily be interlocked to form the cross chain.

A further object of the invention is to provide interlocking members which maybe expeditiously repaired and replaced. i A still further object of the invention is to providecross chain members, for use on automobile tires, `which will be effective in preventing skiddingqof an automobile equipped therewith, and

whichaiord dependable and effective traction under otherwise severe and dangerous conditions.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a succession of metal link members which are connected to one another to provide a cross chain adapted to be inserted between the conventional circumferential side i chains. The connection between individual link members is eifected by means of readily manufactured elements in the nature of a metal block withtransverse groove or channel between its ends which are undercut transversely, or in the` nature of a stamping having its ends upturned and provided with lateral ears bent inwardly over the body portion of the stamping.

The juxtaposed link member ends are designed to t pivotally the undercuts of a block or beneath the inwardly bent portions of the ends of the stamping; ,and provision is made to maintain these pivotal connections, for example, by means of a block of resilient and wearing material such as rubber, which blocks are` held by the respective link members or by the stampings in casting the same thereover. Or, the blocks may be retained by both link members and stampings, if desired. Each rubber block is provided with out- Wardly extending projections at its opposite ends to contact respective end portions of a metalA block or linkend andto exert suiiicient pressure to maintain the interlocking relationship. Thefnature of the invention, however, will best i sclims. (c1. 15a-245) 2 Fig. 1 is a plan view of a cross chain and shows oneembodiment of the invention.

i Fig. 2 .is a longitudinal section therethrough taken on the line 2 2, Fig. lof the drawings.

Fig. 3 is av transverse section taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 1 of the drawings. A v' Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views, `respec tively in longitudinal'section and in plan, illus-` trating a modification in a connecting vmember of the cross chain. i

Fig. 6 is a plan View showing another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. '7 is alongitudinal section therethrough taken on the line l-ll, Fig. 6 of the drawings.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on the line S--B, Fig. l6 of the drawings.` l

Fig. `9` is `a-perspective view of the stamping forming a part of a connectingmember of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive. Fig. l0 is a fragmentary plan viewlillustrating a modification in the type of cross chain shown in Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive. Referring to the drawings, more particularly Figs. 1 to 3, the novel cross chain is shown as made up of a num-ber of elongated Vand more or less rectangularly shaped link members lll of suitable metal for tread-purposes, the end ones of `which link members are to be secured to' the conventional circumferential and `paralleli side chainelements (not shown) l in the usual manner, for example; by means of auxiliary connecting links or hooks H, pivotally attaching a cross chain to its side chains. The various link members l0 are juxtaposed lengthwise with adjacentends slightly separated to allow of freedom of movement transversely of the tread of a tire V(not shown) and which the chains are adapted to span in the usual manner,` the proper number of link members being pivotally joined `or interlocked to be understood when described'in connection with ,i

the accompanying drawings, in which:

conform to the particular size and crown or tread of tire to which 'a chain is to be applied. In somev instances only one pair of links with intermediate connecting member will suiiice. g The novelty of the `present invention resides in this interlocking of the link members to provide a continuous and flexible cross chain section and is accomplished; as follows. Intermediate connecting members such as the metal block elements `I2 alternate with and are located to this end between .the respective juxtaposedends of the link members. These connecting members are `so constructed as to overhang theend portions or .cross'rods I3, of circular section, of a Iinkmember.-

. p To admit a link member and in assembling the cross chain, as well as to provide for proper pivoting or hinging action between a connecting member and its associated link member ends, these connecting members are open at the top as in being transversely channeled or grooved over the upper face and substantiallyl midway of their ends I4, as at I5. These ends in turn along the inner lateral faces of the channel I are transversely undercut or bored tol-substantially a semi-circular contour as at It and are designed to receive av corresponding cross rod I3 of the juxtaposed end of a link member, which may thus rock therein as in a bearing and allow of conforming the cross chain as awhole transversely about the tire periphery.

Or, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, the interconnecting membersl Il shown may be formed with an intermediate metal top tread portion I8 and with the respective ends depressed below the 4top of tread I8, the undercut bearing sockets I9 being provided in said ends as in the case of the previously described embodiment.

To prevent separation vof the successive link members as thus pivotajlly interlocked, provision must be made against endwise displacement of a connecting block element I2 or I 'I relatively to across rod I3 socketed therein. To this end, there is ysecured to the various link members a resilient block V4element v20, as of rubber or the like, which occupies a substantialportion of the internal area between the endcross rods of a link member but leaves sufficient space remaining upon opposite sides, as at 2 I and 22, to admit the connecting member ends, and in the case of the final link members to admit the/connecting hooks II, the latter to have free play therein. The connecting members I2 or I1, however, are to `be resiliently held in position bythe dierent resilient blocks 20 whichmay be iixed to a corresponding link member by being cast thereover in initially constructing such link member. It is preferred, also, to provide a reinforcing member 23 across the individualdink members, for eX- ample, by securing the same thereto at the top. This will hold better the rubber `element 20 -with which the top surface of a member 23 is, preferably, made to lie substantially flush to afford additional metallic tread surface. j

` Each resilient Ainsert'block Yis provided with a pair of projections or bulges 24 located respectively at the opposite endsand adapted for contacting a juxtaposed overhanging end'of a connecting member. These resilientinserts thus af'- ford compression members and over the end projections of which the abutting connecting member 'ends may be forced in assembling a cross chain, a cross rod or end I3 of a link member slipping into thecorresponding undercut orvsocket portion I6 or I9. These inserts will serve then to maintain the interlocking relationship of said link members and connecting` members. By

, slacking .theentire chain, the projections -24 may .the cross chains will present both ametal andaI rubber tread surface.

In the modification Villustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 .of the drawings, members 26 connecting the link members 2Itogether are constructed of ra'stamp- 4 ing, shown more particularly in Fig. 9. In this embodiment, also. the connecting members, rather than the link members 21 as in the previously described embodiment, carry the resilient tread and contacting element 30. The bottom or body portion 3| of va stamping is preferably bowed upwardly, as shown, and is perforated as .sides of said portion and vvthrouglrgthe said perforation therein, Its ends 33 are cutjinwardly and upturned, and are provided at the top with lateral ears 34 which are bent inwardly over the bowed portion for accommodating and retaining beneath them the corresponding end cross rods 35 of the associated link members. These rods are then retained by means of their contact with end projections or bulges 36 of the resilient contacting element 3B.

If desired, and as indicated in Fig. 10 of the drawings, resilient tread blocks 3I may also be secured to the link members 28 so that the cross chain presents a more or less continuous rubber tread with `only a vsmall proportionof metal surface as -provided by the Itop surfaces o f the upturned ends 33 and ofthe ears 34. VI'claim:

l. "The tire chain constructionf'fofA Ycla'fini '9,r

overhanging portions of Vva connecting member.V

`3. Thejtire chain construction of yclaim Vv9, wherein `the tops of rthe Aresilient blockelements and the top s' o'f :the overhanging portions `offthe connecting members are flush with'one another.

4. The vtirep'hain `construction of claim 9, wherein the tops of the resilient kblock elements and vthe tops Aof the overhanging Aportions yof the connectingv members are 'ilus'h with one another, and. al reinforcing transverse member 'is rvsecured. over the top ofthe lin-k members substantially flush with both the said blocks and the tops o'f the overhanging portions. of 'the connecting members. r

5. AThe tire chain construction of claim '-9, wherein the connecting members are metallic blocks with a transverse top groove and are undrcut along `the bottom of the sides lo'flthelgro'ove to accommodate the juxtaposed ends of :corresponding'linkmembers. i i i Y l@..The tire chain `constructionlof claim` 9,

wherein the connecting members Yarestampingsv having their ends upturned an'd provided-with lateral ears 'bent-'inwardlyoverthe body Aportion f of the stamping 'to accommodate beneathwthe inwardly bent portions thel juxtaposed 'ends of the corresponding link members. f

f having their ends upturned 'and provided with lateral ears bent inwardly over the body` portion n block elements are `retained yin, the fconnecting v members.

8. The tire chain construction of claim 9, wherein the connecting members are stampings having their ends upturned and provided with lateral ears bent inwardly over the body portion of the stamping to accommodate beneath the inwardly bent portions the juxtaposed ends of the corresponding link members, and the resilient block elements are retained in the connecting members and extend through a perforation of the body portion of a stamping over both sides of said portion.

9. In a tire chain construction: a cross chain for connection between circumferential side chain elements, comprising alternate metallic link members and intermediate connecting members pivotally joining juxtaposed ends of the said link members, said connecting members being open at the top to admit the juxtaposed ends and having inwardly directed portions overhanging the same, and a resilient block element retained in each member of one group of interconnected members and having end projections adapted to exert pressure upon a member of the other group The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 985,884 Clark Mar. 7, 1911 1,363,175 Benoit Dec. 21, 1920 1,838,127 Anchors Dec. 29, 1931 

